Safety device for ladders



1. STEPHAN. SAFETY DEVICE FOR LADDERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 17, 1920.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 ,/4 ohan Ste han my ATTORNEY WITNES5:

WITNESS:

J. STEPHAN.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR LADDERS.

APPLICATION FILE MAY 17. I920- Patented Sept. '7, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lNVENTOR ATTORNEY UMTED s'rerss ears JOHAN STEPHAN, OFCLIETON, NEW J sAirE'rY DEVICE F03 LA DERS.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHAN STErHAN, a citizen off-Hungary, residingat Clifton 1n the county of Passaic and'State of Jersey, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Safety Devices for Ladders, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention relates to attachments for engage'the surface upon which the ladder is supported whereby to prevent any slip ping of the ladder.

An important object is the provisionofa device of this character which is formed. as a separate entity which may be manufactured complete in itself and subsequently engaged upon any ordinary existing ladder.

Another object is the'provision of a device of this character in which means is provided for holding the prongs in retracted position when desired. r

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will 'be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply and operate, highly efficient and durable, and a general improvement inthe art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention'consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a ladder showing my device in position thereon, with the prongs in upright position,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device detached, on a larger scale and showing the prongs in operative position, 7

Fig. 3 is a similar View with the prongs in retracted position,

Fig. 4 is an edge elevation,

Fig. 5 is a plan view, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view,

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the arms, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the catch lever.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, letter A designates the sides of a lad der. In carrying out my invention I provide a body 10 formed preferably as a casting or from sheet metal stamped to shape ls ew 10 are spurs 12 which are adapted to P6116? at orF cE.

V Specification of Letters Patent. 7 Patented Sept. 7,.- 1920. 'A'pplication filed-"May 17, 1920. Serial No. 381,986. I

and body is of elongated rectangular I formation and hasa socket 11 adapted to receive the side of the ladder. Formed integrally upon the lower edges of-the body trate the grounder other surface upon which the ladder stands.

Formedor secured upon the lower end of the body 10 at opposite sides thereof, are

stubs 13 upon each of which is rotatablyv mounted a sleeve portion formed on an arm 14: which has'its free'end formed with a lateral prong l5 and also formed with a curved portion 16 constituting a handles 7 Surrounding each sleeve member isa coil spring ,l7- which has 'one end engaging the arm 14 adjacent the free" end thereof and which has its other end .coiled about a post 18 extendlng from the side of the body.

The tension of the spring I? normally urges the arm 14 into such'position that the prong" 15 thereof will engage the ground or other surface upon which theladder stands. The spring 17 is retained in position upon the sleeve member by a. washer 19 which is held inplaee by a cotter pin-2O extending through the-stub. The arms v14 at the opposite sides 7 of the body are arranged in reverse position with respect to each other whereby one arm will tend to swing downwardly at one edge of the body and the other clearly shown. V

' In order that the arms may beheld in retrarted or elevated position, I provide upon :cach side of the body spacedears 2l be-' tween which is pivoted a lever 22 having one end formed with a retaining catch head 23 engageable with the arm 14; and havingits other end engaged by a spring 2st interposed between the lever and the body. 24 normally holds the lever 22 in. such position that thecatch 23thereof will engage the arm 1%. The catch end23 of each lever is beveled, as shownat 25, so that when enwardlyso that they will engage with the arm will tend to swing downwardly atthe opposite edge, as

The spring 17 will cause the arms id to swing forcibly downwardly with the prongs l5 engaging the ground or other surface upon which the ladder As the arms 14: are oppositely arr nged it will be apparent that they .wi'll "eyent slipping of the ladder in either 1J1 direction so that a ladder thus equipped will be very safe and secure in use.

[v hie I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it

ie-oi course to he understood that I reserve the right to 111i1l 68l10l1 changes in the form, construction, and arrangement ofparts as will not depart from the spirit of the inven- .tion or the scope oijthe subjoined claims.

claim:

Paving thus described my invention, I

1. A safety attachment for ladders comprising a body engaged upon the lower end of each side of ladder, pring-pressed arms pivoted upon the sides'oi the body and having prongs adapted. to engage the surface upon which the ladder stands, and means for holding said arms in elevated position -with said prongs out of engagement with said surface.

2.. A safety attachment forladders comprising a body engaged upon the lower end each side of a ladder, spring-pressed arms 7 pivoted upon the sides of the body and having prongs adapted to engage the surface upon which the ladder stands; and means for holding said arms in elevated position with said prongs out of engagement with said surface, said means comprising springpressed levers pivoted upon the sides of the body andhaving catches formed thereon "for engagement with the arms.

A device of the character described comprising a body'adapted for association with the lower end'ofeach side of the ladder and formed witha socket for the reception of the ladder side stubs projecting from opposite sides of the body at the lowerportion thereof, arms pivoted upon said stubs and arranged in reverse relation with respect to each other, a substantially right angularly extending prong on the free end of each arm a handle member on the free end of each arm, a sleeve portion on each 5 arm revolubly engaged upon the stub, aspring encircling each sleeve portion and having one end rigid with respect to the body and the other end connected with the associated arm, said springs normally urging said arms downwardly with said prongs engaging the surface upon which the ladder stands, and releasable catch members for holding said arms in elevated position with said prongs out of engagement with said surface.

JOHAN STEPHAN.

lVitness SANDOR VYEIss. 

